BRISBANE, Calif. – It was a tale of two very similar games for Academy of Art University Softball and Pace out at Mission Blue Field on Sunday. Freshman pitcher Brooke Larsen (8-1) threw her third shutout of the year and added 10 strikeouts while sophomore outfielder Gabi Hirsch delivered what would be the winning run on a single in the third in the Urban Knights' game one victory. The finale, however, was decided by an unearned run on a groundout in the fourth as Pace's own starter offered a shutout in their 1-0 win.

GAME 1 – ART U 1, PACE 0
Following in the same vein as her previous outing, a 13-strikeout two-hitter against Notre Dame de Namur, Larsen was simply dealing once again. She ended the first inning with a strikeout, struck out the side in the second, and sat down two more on strikes in the third. Meanwhile, Academy of Art put runners into scoring position in the first two frames, but finally broke through in the third.

Sophomore utility Dominique Seva'aetasi initiated the scoring opportunity with a leadoff walk and a steal then a wild pitch advanced her to third. It was Hirsch who provided the single to bring her home, putting the Knights up 1-0. Perhaps the Setters' best chance at a rebuttal came in the fourth when two got into scoring position despite no hits, but Larsen got the popup she needed to end the threat.

With her striking out the side once more in the fifth, Larsen and the ART U defense went on to retire the final seven batters, securing the 1-0 victory.

"Our pitching and defense is giving us a great opportunity to win games," said head coach Sonja Garnett. "Brooke is locked in right now and is hitting great spots. I am very proud of her recent performances."

GAME 2 – PACE 1, ART U 0
Freshman infielder Jayda Alaan highlighted the first inning with an impressive snag as part of a double-play which gave senior pitcher Brenna Mitchell (1-3) momentum to retire the side in order in the second.

In the second inning, Larsen hit a leadoff single and made it to second on an error, but she was eventually caught in a rundown between third and home, keeping Academy of Art off the scoreboard. That theme would continue in the third when consecutive singles by Alaan, Hirsch, and Mitchell contributed to a bases-loaded situation before a strikeout left the runner stranded.

For the first time in the twinbill, Pace broke through in the fourth, but did so without a hit. A leadoff walk, an error, and later a groundout contributed to the Setters' unearned run, a crucial score when all was said and done.

Two singles and a walk helped load the bases for ART U once again in the sixth, but a hard-hit ball would find the glove of Pace's third baseman, ending the chance. After Alaan opened the seventh with a single, productive outs got her to third, however, a groundout had the Knights come up empty once more as they fell 1-0 in a game that saw them leave 10 runners on base.

Concluding a lengthy stretch of games in the Bay Area, Academy of Art is now 14-8 overall. Three different Urban Knights ended up going 3-for-6 apiece including Larsen, Hirsch, and Alaan. Hirsch had the squad's one run batted in plus two stolen bases. Mitchell pushed her hit streak to 12 games with a single in each contest as well as a pair of steals on the day.

No ART U pitcher allowed an earned run in 14.0 innings of work as Larsen tossed her third shutout of the year, a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts, then added another scoreless relief inning in game two. Mitchell surrendered one unearned run and one hit in 3.1 innings while striking out one and freshman pitcher Cecilia Lopez (4-2) provided 2.2 scoreless relief innings as well.

Playing their first two games of 2018, Pace exited the day 1-1 overall. Larissa Labs had hits in each contest, finishing 2-for-6 while Schafer finished with the team's lone RBI on the day. Complete games came from both Emma Bernet (0-1) and MacKenzie Garrick (1-0), but it was the latter who earned the win after tossing a shutout with nine hits allowed, two walks, and one strikeout.

Academy of Art now embarks upon a six-game roadtrip to Southern California which will feature doubleheaders against Azusa Pacific (Mar. 14), Biola (Mar. 15), and Concordia (Mar. 17).

"The team is in a good place right now," said Garnett. "We are hitting the ball well, we just have to keep swinging the bat. I am very proud of this team."